Railway-switch.



No. 866,983. PATENTED SEPT. 24, 1907.y

G. M. '.FHOMPSQN.l

RAILWAY SWITCH. APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 26,*1906.

www A 1H: NoRms PETERS co.. v/Asnmcon, n. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

GUY M. THOMISON, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH` TO CHARLES S. FOLLETT, OE SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, AND ONE-EIGHTH TO SAMUEL E. LANCASTER AND ONE-EIGHTH TO JACOB A. MEYER, BOTH OF LE CLAIRE, IOWA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH.

No. 866,983, Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 244., 1907.

Application filed November 26,1906. Serial No. 345,013.

is applied-to act in direct lines the electrical portion To all whom it may concern: ground wires a, desirably through va track-rail as shownl Be it known that I, GUY M. THOMPSON, a citizen oi' in Fig. 2, and likewise respectively connected by 55 the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county wires b, b with the terminal contact plates 20, 20

of King and State of Washington, have invented cerwhich are positioned, desirably, in the track-bed and tain new and useful Improvements in Railwayat any convenient distance from the switch.

Switches, uof which the following is a specification, Movably connected with the tongue 8, as by a pin 21, reference being had therein to `the accompanying is a transverse bar 22 extending through aperture 23 60 drawings, in Whichof rails 5 and 7, and 24 of the casings and, 4within the Figure l is a plan view of a railway track switch casngs the bar is provided with detachable extension embodying my improvements; Fig. 2, a transverse pieces 22/ which are curved downwardly to furnish section of same taken through 2-2 of Figi; and Fig. supports for solenoid cores 25, 25 oi said magnets. 3, a like view taken through 3-3 of Fig. 1. Secured to the extension pieces 22/ and the bracket 65 The present invention relates to railway switches parts 17, respectively, are terminals 26, 26 and 27, 27/ and particularly to improvements in the invention of incomplete electric circuits e and c having therein shown and described in United States Patent No. electric lamps 29 and 29 which are employed to desig- 8l5,314 issued March 13, 1906. Its object is to so`connatethe open or closed condition of the switch. struct and combine the various operative parts of the 30, 30, are apertured collars of some flexible material, switch actuating mechanism that the apparatus will as sheet rubber, which is secured to the casing walls be rendered more serviceable, less liable to become about the apertures 23, 24 for the purpose of wiping deranged, the parts being made more accessible for from the bar 22 any dirt which may become attached renewal or repair, and protected against the ingress to the latter. The circuits a or af, as the case may be, of dirt, snow or other substances which might interare completed by independent contact-makers and 'ere with its operation. depressible brush devices carried by a car and may be The invention consists in the improved construcof any suitable type such as illustrated in the beforetion, adaptation and combination oi parts as will be mentioned patent. hereinafter set forth. The operation of the invention is as follows: when In the drawings, the reference numerals 5 and 5 either of the circuits a or a are completed by manipu- 80 represent the rails of a main track; 6 and 6 the rails lation of the proper contact-maker upon an approachof a branch or turn-out; 7, a guard rail; and 8, a switching car, the respective electro-magnet 18 or 18/ is enertongue which is pivoted at 9. gized thereby swingingv the tongue through the con- 10 is a filler employed to hold the rails 5 and 7 in necting bar 22, 22/. Upon changing the position ofthe position and furnish a bed for the tongue, is of ordiswitch tongue this bar carrying the. terminals 26, 26 85 nary type excepting that in proximity of the tongue of the light circuits will obviously bring one of such point there is provided an upwardly protruding lug terminals out of Contact with its complement 27 or 27 10, see Figs. l and 3, having sloping faces 10 which and put the other into contact thereby breaking the in swinging the tongue necessitates its being first raised previously complete circuit to extinguish` its light and to pass over the lug but facilitates the last portion of completing the then incomplete circuit to effect the its travel by presenting a downwardly sloping bearing lighting of the lamp included in the circuit being cdmto direct the tongue into close relation with the rail pleted. toward which moved. V The electro-magnets may be of any approved type At the outer sides of the guard rail and the adjacent which are capable of transmitting the required energy main-rail, respectively, are liquid-tight casings 11 and are desirably protected against moisture by inclos- 95 having a removable cover plate 1l to each. A transing them in a Wrappingimpervious to water as by versely arranged bracket l12 is provided within each ordinary lead sleeves. said casing which, for strength and convenience, are The signal devices may be varied to suit special desirably formed upon the ends of a bar 13 rigidly conditions as to the arrangement and wiring of the secured to the llanges I4 ofthe last mentioned rails lamps, or a lamp may be employed to designate one 100 and, within each casing, it is given two rectangular position only ofthe switch, and during daylight semabends 15, 15/ to furnish an upright intermediate porphores can be utilized as supplementary to the lights tion 16 and a horizontal extremity 17. used for night service.

Rigidly secured to the bracket parts lQ-are oppo- The apparatus as now perfected is adapted t0 meet sitely disposed electro-magnets 18, 1.8/ having alined the conditions prevailing in railway practice;the power axes and having their helical windings connected by oi the apparatus is thoroughly guarded against any liability ot becoming fouled, and the actuating mechanism is, When the casing covers are removed, exposed to view for making any changes or adjustments thereto,

What I claimy is- 1. In an electrically-operated switch` the combination with the track-rails and a tongue, of two contact platea positioned at some distance from the switch and respeo tively forming the terminals of two incomplete circuits. an electrons-signet included in each such circuit and posiA tioned within casings disposed upon opposite sides of the tongue, a supportingbai' attached to the base of said traci rails and extending into said casings and having its ends shaped to form brackets for supporting said electro-ma nets, a transversely arranged bar connected to the tong Le and extending through apertures of and into the casing's. devices attached to each of said casing-s tor wiping the bar, and a solenoid core for each said electro-magnet and rigidly secured to said bar interiorly of the respective casings.

2. In an electrically-operated switch, the cambination with the track-rails and a tongue, of two contact plates positioned at some distance from the switch and respectively formiung the terminals of two incomplete circuits, an electro-magnet including in each such circuit and posi tioned within casings disposed upon opposite sides of the tongue, a supporting bar extending into the confrontingl ends of the casing-s and being attached to said rack rails,

and having brackets on its ends within said casings, upon which said electroanagnets are supported, a transversely arranged bar connected to the tongue and extending through apertures of and into the casings, a solenoid core for each said electro-magnet and rigidly secured io said bar interiorly of the respective casings, and the terminal ot' an incomplete light-circuit secured to said bar within each casing, one of said terminals of each such pair being secured to said bar.

3. In an elect all voperated switch, the combination with the track-rails and a tongue, of two contact plaies positioned at some distance from the switch and respectively forniing the terminals ot two incomplete circuits, an electro-magnet included in each such circuit and positioned within casings disposed within opposite sides of the tongue, a supportingbar connected to the said track rails with its ends extending into said casings, brackets carried on the ends ot said har within the casings and to which the said electro-magnets are secured, a transversely arranged har connected to the tongue and extending;- through apertures of and into the easings, and a solenoid core for each said clectroanagnet and rigidly secured to said bar interior-ly of the respective casings.

In testimony whereof l aiiix my signature in presence o1' two witnesses,

GUY M. THOMPSON.

Witnesses z lmnnn BARNES, W. F. IlonGnns. 

